King Charles may be known for his royal duties and traditional image, but the monarch is now reportedly showing interest in something far more unexpected.
Following an outing in Belfast, where he joined traditional Irish musicians to beat the bodhrans, the King reportedly expressed a desire to learn hip-hop and even asked for a “royal hip-hop” lesson.
Charles’ love for music has long been well documented, with the monarch launching his own playlist in collaboration with Apple Music earlier last year.
On Tuesday, Charles and Camilla visited Belfast as part of what appeared to be a wider series of cultural engagements on their schedule.
During the outing, the royal couple met and interacted with local musicians, with Charles appearing particularly captivated by the performances.
Among the acts featured was an energetic hip-hop routine performed by nine students, which reports now claim sparked the King’s interest in learning more about hip-hop culture.
The King “wants us to teach him how to do hip-hop,” King’s Trust ambassador Jamie Fagan said, per News 24. “He wants a royal hip-hop lesson, in his words.”
The Monarch Also Tried His Hand At The Bodhrán
Before watching the hip-hop performance, Charles and Camilla shared a special moment with traditional Irish musicians they met at Belfast’s Thompson Dock.
The musicians were playing bodhráns, and the royal couple did not hesitate to join in for a brief session of their own.
“We happened to have a couple [of bodhráns] sitting on the seat, and the King and Queen realized they were there, and they decided to join in with us at the end. It was wonderful,” Irish music specialist Niall McClean told the outlet.
Charles is said to have expressed enthusiasm for the traditional Irish drum and the uilleann pipes, a wind instrument native to Ireland, which were also used by the musicians.
Those who witnessed Charles during the cultural exchange also appeared to enjoy having him around, with one dancer, Sarah McGarry, telling the outlet that it was “lovely to give him a bit of a taste of the Irish culture.”
King Charles Released His Own Music Playlist
Earlier last year, Charles launched his own music playlist, “The King’s Music Room,” in collaboration with Apple Music.
Ahead of its release, a video trailer featuring the monarch was unveiled, in which he shared that the songs included on the playlist had brought him joy throughout the years.
“Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me,” the monarch said, per Page Six. “I know that is also the case for so many others. It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories flooding back from the deepest recesses of our memory, to comfort us in times of sadness, and to take us to distant places.”
He added, “But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration.”
Charles Included A Beyoncé Song In His Playlist
Beyond sharing the inspiration behind the playlist, Charles also explained to listeners why he selected certain songs for the collection.
Speaking about Beyoncé’s hit song “Crazy in Love,” Charles revealed that he included it in honor of her 2003 performance for the Prince’s Trust, now known as the King’s Trust.
“[Beyoncé is] so exceptional that I could not resist including her music. She performed this song at the then-Prince’s Trust Fashion Rocks concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 2003,” he shared.
“I wanted to include an iconic musical moment from the many events which supported my trust’s work over the years,” the monarch said.
King Charles Also Paid Homage To Bob Marley
Also included on the playlist was late reggae icon Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved.”
For Charles, the song’s inclusion reflected his experience meeting “the great man himself” and immediately admiring both his personality and what he represented.
“I remember when he came to London to perform when I was much younger, and I met him at some event,” Charles said of Marley.
“That marvelous, infectious energy, of course, he had, but also his deep sincerity and his profound concern for his community. I always recall his words: ‘The people have a voice inside of them.’ He gave the world that voice in a way that no one who heard can ever forget,” the King added.
